Sometimes at Night
by Blue-Haired Goddess
Summary: REVISED. Tenchi stays up one night to realize a very familiar phenomenon. Possible companion to poemfic "He Smiled At Her."


"SOMETIMES AT NIGHT"  
  
by the Blue-Haired Goddess  
  
bluehairedgoddess@tenchiclub.com  
  
Section: Reg or Misc.  
  
DISCRIPTION: Tenchi stays up one night to realize a very familiar phenomenon. Prequel to poemfic "He Smiled at Her."  
  
DISCLAIMER: Though I would like to, I own *none* of the Tenchi characters, in any incarnation. I *do* however, own the obsession that keeps me up at night.Legal Folks, please do not sue me, I make no money from this.  
  
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Tenchi Masaki lay still in his bed. Eyes open against the dark, he strained his senses, concentratingon the sounds he could hear in the quiet night,   
  
listening to the trees rustling outside his window, and listening to the sounds of the house. Most everyone was asleep, or should be asleep. So, for the most part it was quiet. But Tenchi lay fully awake clutching his blankets to his neck. He was waiting for something, and wasn't sure if his wait would be rewarded before sleep would take him. But he was determined to wait it out, if for no reason than to know that it was real, and that he was not crazy. Because it would happen sometimes at night.  
  
He hadn't told the others. Might never tell the others, but Tenchi had a suspicion that had been riding him for quite some time. Of course, he didn't dwell on it, he didn't have the time. But when he came to his room to wind down for bed, as he got undressed and slipped into his nightclothes, well, then he would have to think. He couldn't believe himself, really. He knew it was so silly to think the way that he did, like a child maybe, and he remembered an age when he was still a boy and his mother was still alive. At one time he had believed in monsters, boogy-men, and a cave oni and just like many little boys and girls afrighted to the thought of being left alone in the dark.  
  
He smiled at the thought silently, and chided himself to not start laughing at the thought of it. He had to look like he was asleep.  
  
Sleep had finally almost taken Tenchi. He was dozing now, after trying to count to himself to a thousand. He was just realizing that he had said the same number in his head about three times, when he heard the familar hum of space and matter shifting very close to him. He sensed that he was no longer alone, and reflexively closed his eyes tight, trying again to pretend he was asleep. But again, he was alert.  
  
His heart thudded in his chest, he focused on hearing and smelling and sensing the intruder. She was there, he knew, and his suspicions were completely confimed by a soft feminine sigh just above his left shoulder.  
  
"...Tenchi." She breathed. He tensed, thinking that maybe he was found out, but the intruder made no move or sound that she realized he was awake. "You're such an angel when you're asleep, Ten-chi." She emphasized his name, obviously playing on words her "angel" and heaven. "...too bad you couldn't see yourself now." Once again, he heard a shifting hum, and he braced himself for a confrontation or final peace. Instead of either, and much to his surprise, the familiar phasing sound was at the same time much closer this time, and he quickly felt the side of his bed sinking with the weight of this person. She was on his bed! Praying silently to himself, he thanked the gods that he was curled up with his back to the room, and to the intruder, and that she couldn't see his nose had begun to bleed.  
  
Ryoko Hakubi sighed silently to herself, breathing in Tenchi's good smell. While she knew it wasn't the brightest idea by far, she couldn't help herself by settling in on Tenchi's bed next to him. He was asleep anyway, she reasoned, and she'd be up and out of his room before he could wake and nobody would be the wiser. Though she toyed with the idea of letting Ayeka come to wake Tenchi and see them in bed, she dismissed it at least for the time being. In truth, she was too tired to focus on that. Being careful not to wake him, and therefore lying at the very edge of the bed to avoid doing so (which she longed to do...and in so many ways!), she sent a telepathic request to her favorite pet, that the little cabbit wake her come morning. She loved these stolen moments with Tenchi, even if he himself didn't know that they happened. As she drifted to sleep with this thought, she couldn't help but think that she heard his heart beating fast. Sometimes she could almost think he waited... yawning, she dismissed the idea before she could fully draw its conclusions. Lying on top of his covers, she was soon fast asleep.  
  
Tenchi couldn't believe it. His suspicions were confirmed as he surprised himself to no end by doing absolutely *nothing*. He didn't stir and inch, and definately did not let on that he *knew* he wasn't alone. He wasn't sure if it was an experiment or not (Little Washu must be rubbing off on me, he thought to that regard), but he finally knew that Ryoko did more than just watched him sleep. And he was releived to know that she did *less*.   
  
It was weird, really, and for a while, he had thought he was going crazy. But for a long time, even after he had asked her to stay out of his room (which made him frown a bit to think of it), he would get the distinct feeling that he was not alone. Like a presence was in intimately close proximity to himself. So close, the heat of her body, that the person could not be anything less than a lover. Like a bride in his bed. He could practically taste her breath. He didn't know where he got *that* idea from, but the end point had been evidence pointing to Ryoko. Or delusions, he conceited. Up till now, he had either been too deep in sleep to be roused by the feeling, or had waken up to find himself completely alone. But the feeling would stay with him. Feelings that he couldn't describe, and made him flustered all-the-more when Ryoko would phase right in front of him when he was trying to change, making for very embarrassing situations when she could see his... *excitement* at the lingering dreams. Add to that more embarrassment as Ayeka came to wake him for breakfast. More and more he had started to doubt himself, and would have actively accused Ryoko, but how do you explain that you think someone is sneaking *into* your bed, *with* you? He didn't have any proof. He also liked to keep his house the way it was--currently intact.  
  
So, he had done what any red-blooded earthling would do, and *waited* for her. Now, he was doing what only Tenchi would do and falling fast asleep with the oddest mixture of mortal fear, arousal (never mind that he was nearly asleep), and a sort of security. Tenchi felt in a drozing paranoid way...content.  
  
Ryoko did not seem to wake when Tenchi murmured something in his sleep, something that sounded much like her name. But somewhere in her dreams... "Tenchi, you damn fool! You sleep as hard as a rock."   
  
And soon it was morning, and And he was alone. But sometimes, at night, they both could dream. 


End file.
